My best friends
by xXSakura-Hime-SamaXx
Summary: (Asura/Saku/Indra) The two faint figures standing behind her new teammates had become normal to see throughout her time in the academy, and young Sakura didn't give them a second thought anymore. That was, until they noticed she could see them.


**Yet another prompt!**

* * *

Sakura had known something was different about the two boys on her team even before being partnered up with them.

The faint figures always standing behind them slowly but surely became something she didn't give a second thought to in the academy, and it was only after being put on a team and training with them that the two people that shadowed their every move became clear to her eyes.

The one with Naruto, the kind looking one, he had short hair, and he always wore a blank forehead protector. He'd smile all day, except when he was near the other figure. Then he'd either look sad, pleading or even angry.

The one with Sasuke, he was even odder looking. His strange eyes always made her shiver with discomfort. His hair was long and spikey, untamed and wild. He always stood with such confidence, his glare rarely ever leaving the other man.

And they both wore such odd clothing…it was so old fashioned.

Half of the time, she was too distracted by these odd men to pay attention to the training Kakashi-sensei was giving them.

And it got even worse when they finally noticed.

When they saw that no, she wasn't looking at the boys.

She was looking at them.

The kinder one had waved cautiously at first, looking visibly shocked when she slowly raised her hand and returned the gesture, looking away as Naruto looked at her in confusion.

The more serious one had just blinked at her, silently scoffing as the other man grinned and made his way over, a faint phantom sensation taking over her hand as he lightly grabbed it and brought it to his lips, speaking words she couldn't hear.

He'd been a little disappointed when he'd noticed that she couldn't hear him, but he'd perked back up quickly before turning to the other man and saying something.

The longer haired man had looked as exasperated as she'd ever seen him, walking over and repeating the gesture of kissing her hand.

He'd walked back off without a second glance, but from then on, they'd both glanced at her from time to time and the friendlier one gave her a greeting each morning.

He'd even occasionally fix her stance.

He was kind.

* * *

The more reserved man had actually acknowledged her for the first time without prompting during their mission to wave, his appreciative nod when she'd gotten their tree climbing exercise correct on her first time had drawn a grin from the pinkette and the short haired man.

She'd eventually figured out a way to get their names towards the end of the mission, letting the happier man, Asura, guide her hand to write them out.

It had made things easier, finally knowing what to call them.

Indra, the long haired one, had just sat silently through it all, only looking to her from time to time.

When they'd battled on the bridge against Zabuza and his accomplice, Haku, She didn't think she'd ever been that scared before. But a long look from Indra when she started shaking, and a kind smile from Asura had snapped her out of it, the young pinkette gathering her confidence and standing strong against the powerful chakra that the battling jounin kept flaring.

* * *

The chunin exams.

That's when things changed a little more.

Asura had been doing his best to silently comfort her as her teammates lay unconscious at her feet, her tired mind scrapping the bottom of the barrel as she quietly set up every trap she could think of.

Indra had been the one to grasp her hand and stop her from accidentally killing them all, the paper bomb in her hand having almost activated. He'd just looked at her steadily and let go, obviously knowing better than to try and speak to her like his companion was.

And he'd kept watching her, as the sound team arrived, as she fought, as she cut her hair.

As she lost.

And just when she felt like she was at the bottom, like things were hell and she should just give up-

He looked her dead in the eye and gave her an oh so small smile, lightly patting her shoulder and giving her a nod of encouragement.

Asura was just cheering and looking at Naruto while rolling his eyes.

The short haired man had cheered during her fight with Ino, going as far as miming punches and ducks as she went.

She'd almost lost concentration because it, only Indra slapping the back of his head had gotten him to stop.

And the dirty looks the longer haired man kept shooting his companion after she tied told her that he though her outcome was due to the other man's interference.

Partly true, but she wouldn't tell them that.

* * *

She'd never seen them both look more furious that when she was pinned to that tree with sand, only getting to see them for a few seconds before she'd fallen unconscious.

But the look in their eyes was one she'd never forget.

She'd never seen anyone that angry before…

* * *

Sasuke's abandonment wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't have taken her friend with him, the long haired man scowling and raging at the shorter boy as he walked away from her sleeping form, her body left out in the open for all to see.

Vulnerable to anything.

She didn't know it, but he was just as angry with the boy as Asura was when he found out.

* * *

Asura had kept her afloat, he'd been her rock.

And then he'd been dragged away from her as well.

Everyone thought her tears were for Naruto and team 7 disbanding.

But no, it was because she was watching the man yell and curse, hugging her and trying to say goodbye, only to start raging again when she let a soft sob.

She'd miss them both.

Asura and Indra were her friends…

She didn't want them to leave.

* * *

She'd just floated by, training and studying while they were gone, trying to get stronger.

If she'd been strong enough to stop Sasuke, her friend would still be here.

They both would.

But she hadn't been, and because of that, they were both gone and she was alone.

* * *

His short, shaggy hair had been the only thing she'd made out before he hugged her, nearly taking her to the ground as Naruto laughed about her clumsiness.

She'd been so happy and relieved to see him that she'd cried.

And despite his cocky grin and silent teasing, she'd known he missed her too.

She'd actually left him speechless when he finally saw how much she'd grown while he was gone, her teasing Naruto drawing a smile to his face.

She was going to be okay.

But they both needed Indra to be whole again.

* * *

When she saw the long haired man again…she was relieved.

So relieved and otherwise distracted that she'd almost taken a sword to the stomach from her old teammate.

The long haired man had gotten her out of the way just in time though, his suddenly feral looking face raging at the boy silently while he put her down a few feet from her teammates.

She hadn't seen him for long before he'd been forced to follow after Sasuke, but she'd given the surprised man a hug before he had to go, telling him quietly that she'd get him back with them again.

He'd just awkwardly pet her head and nodded solemnly, casting the crying pinkette one last long look before leaving.

She'd just stood next to Asura and sighed sadly, the remaining man comfortingly patting her back.

* * *

When she went after Sasuke with a Kunai…

It wasn't entirely of her own free will.

Asura had taken one look at the boy, his threatening stance and his previous actions dredging up bad memories for both parties involved.

So he'd gripped her hand, wrapping it firmly around the kunai, and dragged her to charge him, only to be stopped short by Indra as he punched the raging man in the stomach, stopping the pinkette mere centimetres away from killing her teammate.

Their quick fight had been brought to a halt by Kakashi pulling her away from the now murderous boy before her, and the two men were by her side in an instant, both firmly planted in front of her as her teammates went at it.

She barely saw any of the actual fight.

She was too busy hugging the tall men before her and pleading with them not to go again, Indra's solemn gaze telling her that once Sasuke left, he didn't have a choice.

The comforted her as best they could.

But soon enough, he was gone again.

His longing look the last thing she saw before passing out into the frantic Asura's arms.

* * *

She caught sight of Indra on more than one occasion during the next hunt for Sasuke, but her and Asura never got within more than a few yards of him.

He looked so…sad on his own.

* * *

The war…

It was the worst thing she'd ever had to endure in her life.

The lives she saw lost.

The people she killed.

The lost look in Asura and Indra's eyes as they watched everything unfold before them.

She stayed as close to the two as she could, both shielding her from as much as possible in return. The second Naruto's heart had stopped though, both men had disappeared, frantic looks on their faces as they tried to grab her.

It had taken her manually beating Naruto's heart for Asura to reappear, his relieved look mirrored hers as Indra faded into view again as well.

She didn't want to lose them.

Not again.

* * *

And now…

They stood before her, both shielding her from the white haired man that observed the three of them with curiosity, his eyes glinting dangerously as they scowled and gazed at him stoically.

He…he could see them too.

And he knew that she was important to them.

So when he tried to drive that stake through her while Naruto jumped at him, she'd expected it.

What she hadn't expected though, was Asura swatting the weapon away like it was nothing.

Or Indra flaring his chakra and flattening the man, Uchiha Madara, against the wall with a sickened look.

She didn't know why he looked at the Uchiha like he was the dirt under his boot, but the usually stoic man must have had a good reason.

But she didn't really care.

She just wanted this war to be over.

She wanted to go home and be with her two friends again, just like before.

And by the looks of things, this was only the beginning.


End file.
